Baggy trousers

I worked a lot with these. There wasn’t enough fabric to just cut out the pieces, and I decided that although i could have made an invisible seam, adding two smaller parts together, I preferred to make it a detail . You can see it on the front of the left leg.

Pattern is Simplicity 1940’s retro 3688.

I really enjoy it when there is a challenge and a problem to be solved.

however, I think I made a mistake when copying the the pattern, the pants were SO big and I had to take them in in several places, all considering the pattern and how it would look.

And once they were finished… I just don’t care for them. They feel baggy. Reason is probably partly that the fabric is really thin and lightweight. I bought it in a thrift store thinking it was a sturdy canvas like fabric. It smelled of detergent so I assumed it was washed, which it turned out it wasn’t.  What I thought was a sturdy fabric was mostly the starch you add to cheap fabrics. You’d think I’d know by now.

I can’t be bothered to take up the seams in the waist and the hem to redo them. They’ve been sitting on a chair for a moth now, and I think they’ll stay there for a while.

Fishy

Well I’m doing some more embroidery. These won’t be lavender sachets, I don’t think. But I did give away a good many of those.

This is just for pleasure. I’m using an old cushion cover of linen that I bought second hand for the sachets. Since the yarn is second hand as well I don’t really know what it is, doesn’t feel or act like silk, and to be honest I didn’t like the colors either, but was surprised how good it came out. Thinking I might make a breast fin as an appliqué, but not sure how to yet.

This one is made with regular cotton yarn. I like the sixties feel of the color comination. Needs a face, or at least an eye, though.

Scraps

Sometimes I feel a bit mad when I save scraps from what I’m sewing. But I loved this color so much! It’s the leftovers from the pants I made from curtains (here  although I haven’t got a photo yet of the finished pants:P)

I wanted to do embroidery and at first thought I’d make a pocket for the pants, that’s the one to the right. From the even smaller scraps I made two little bags to fill with lavender since I have some on my balcony.

 

Put a ring on it

I made this dress last summer and used it a bit but never really like it, despite the colors and despite it being linen. It somehow felt too clumsy.

I decided  a reason could be that the waist is too low to be high and too high to be low, so I figured a belt would pull the waistline further down. Worth a try.

I had to buy the belt buckle, was aiming for a white one for a sixtie’s touch, but couldn’t find one. This red one which-isn’t-the-same-color-but-close-enough worked fine I think.

We’ll see if I like it better now. My expression isn’t too promising I’d say, but I’ve worn it. Seeing the pictures I’m thinnking naybe i should shorten the skirt as well.

Just enough

I found these linen curtains in a thrift store and thought they may be just enough wide for a pair of trousers. And what do you know, it’s exactly what I need! (The seam allowance is included on this pattern.)

Good to know, since I often come across these curtains in thrift stores, they were really popular when I worked in a fabric store in early 2000’s, so I guess they’re badly out now. (No, I haven’t got a clue about fashions in home decorating) They often come in great fabrics though, and I’ve been wondering if I could use them for something. Now I know.

Hello, is it me you’re looking for?

We spent the night before Midsummers Eve needle felting. It’s such a great technique, when my son was younger he said it was like drawing in 3D. I agree.

And I think wool may be may favorite material.

Buttons

When I grew up I used to love my mom’s button-box. In it were all kinds of pretty buttons and you could rummage your fingers through them and feel their smoothness and hear the rattling sound they made.

Now I have my own and I still like it for the same reasons. However, it’s not of much use to me. When I buy buttons in thrift stores, I’ll go after the prettiest and most extravagant ones n’est-ce pas? Which is fine, I might find a use for them, but usually what I need is to replace one button that’s lost and then I’d need a reather plain one. And if I am to use the flashy ones,  there’s never enough of them, is there?

Right now I’m sitting on two UF’os that need 5 buttons each. Seems I’m gonna have to head for the fabric store anyways, despit me treasure chest at home